How a Dying Woman Rewrote Her Epilogue novel Chapter 88

Calmly, she said, "I lost it."

Only then did Ivan really look at her. Noticing she showed no real emotion, he finally spoke. "If it's lost, it's lost. I'll just buy you another one."

Elodie froze for a second. "That's not necessary. I don't need it."

Pretending it didn't sting her pride was a lie. Since when had Ivan learned to humiliate her like this?

He was never short of money for jewelry, but he'd still given her a free promotional trinket as if she wouldn't notice.

Ivan narrowed his eyes. The only reason he'd bothered with the diamond necklace in the first place was to smooth things over after he'd let her down a few days back. He figured a little sweet talk and a gift would settle it.

But Elodie's stubborn refusal was starting to grate on his nerves.

"When did you become so careless?" he challenged. "Anything I've ever given you, you always took good care of. Elodie, if you want something else, just say so. There's no need for this little act."

He didn't believe for a second that Elodie had really lost it.

She'd always cherished his gifts—no matter how cheap or ordinary, she'd never once turned up her nose at them.

Elodie couldn't refute him. In fact, his words jabbed at her like a thorn, piercing through the illusion of happy memories to the painful truth underneath.

She had treasured their relationship—whether it was the bond they'd shared growing up, or the innocent affection she'd once felt.

But none of that was a reason for him to treat her as if she were beneath him. As if she deserved only leftovers.

The elevator chimed.

Elodie turned her head, glancing at him. "People do change, Ivan. No one stays stuck in the same place forever."

As far as Ivan was concerned, she'd let go a long time ago.

Now, he wasn't even worthy of being called her brother.

Ivan's expression darkened.

He strode forward and grabbed her wrist. "Change? Even now, with the way Jarrod treats you, you still can't leave him. When did you get so willing to swallow your pride? If you weren't just using your marriage with him to provoke me, what else could you be after?"

Elodie stared at him, stunned, meeting his almost menacing gaze.

She was about to pull away when she noticed a group of people approaching behind Ivan.

She locked eyes with someone in the group, her frown deepening. Did he hear what Ivan just said?

Seeing them draw closer, Elodie wrenched free and slipped quickly into the elevator.